


One Piece at a Time

by Zerrat



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Introspection, Mentions of survivors guilt, Motorcycle Repair, Street Kid V (Cyberpunk 2077)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:09:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28911372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerrat/pseuds/Zerrat
Summary: V's got a new project in Judy's area of expertise. Judy does her best to avoid interfering, and takes the chance to learn a little more about the closed puzzle that is V.
Relationships: Female V & Jackie Welles, Judy Alvarez/Female V
Comments: 22
Kudos: 312





	One Piece at a Time

**Author's Note:**

> Alternatively - both Judy and V are bad at feelings, but someone has to go first and Judy nominates V. :')

It was late afternoon when Judy pulled up in Heywood, parking her van on the curb by a small, deserted basketball court. She frowned, skeptical, pulling out her phone to re-check the address V had sent earlier. Unfortunately, she seemed to be in the right place—El Coyote Cojo on Republic. 

Judy sighed, fishing up a plastic bag of drinks from the passenger seat and sliding out of her van, the door shutting behind her with a thud. Night City summers were usually brutal, but today's oppressive heat was truly something special—served up from the depths of hell itself. Part of her wished she'd remained in the safe, cool depths of Lizzie's basement, curled up with her rig and all her projects.

But, V had texted. Like a total gonk, Judy had come running. 

So now, Judy found herself in the middle of downtown Heywood. Deep in another gang's territory. Wondering why the hell V wanted to meet in a seedy alleyway behind a Valentinos bar. 

At least the place was deserted, the suffocating heat having driven everyone inside. The sun seared against her hair and bare shoulders, hot and harsh, the air seeming to shimmer thick with its heat as it rose and reflected off cracked pavement. Above, the sky was cloudless, the vivid blue of it muted with smoke and haze. 

Wary and squinting against the sun, Judy crossed the court and set out down the alley, bag in hand and the comforting weight of her smart pistol tucked into the back of her overalls.

It seemed like every inch of the alleyway was plastered in Valentinos graffiti, unmistakable in its reds and golds, the copious roses and heavy-handed religious imagery. Music filtered down from the windows of one of the neighbouring apartment buildings, the beat broken by the distant shout of arguments and gunshots. 

That was Heywood. Violent, gang-war ridden Heywood. Ducking her way through a metal fence, she tried not to jump at the sudden blare of a nearby car horn. Resolutely, Judy continued on—and then she heard it. 

"Jesus Christ, Johnny, would you fucking give it a rest already?"

That was unmistakably V. Music, too, though the volume was set low—Samurai, as V had taken to listening to in recent weeks. 

Judy picked up the pace, relieved. As she closed in on the sound of music, she wondered--had V always been a fan of those old rocker tunes, or was her current interest symptomatic of the Relic's growing influence? It was a sobering, chilling thought, and certainly not one Judy wished to entertain.

Judy finally tracked the low drone of music to a garage, the roller door cracked half open. Its interior was dark as she peered inside. V was kneeling beside the partially disassembled skeleton of a motorcycle, her brow creased in intense concentration as she examined the exhaust pipes. The bike's wheels and skidguards had been removed, shunted in a pile to the side. A random assortment of parts and tools were strewn across a tarp laid out on the garage floor—a total mess. 

What...? "V?"

Startled, V dropped the wrench she'd been holding, her hand darting for the shoulder holster slung over a nearby bench. Judy caught a glint of steel in the instant before V fully processed it was Judy, only Judy—but in Heywood, who could blame V for reacting first? 

"Jesus, Judy." V exhaled in a soft laugh, and she let the gun settle back in its holster with a careful pat. "Nearly gave me a goddamn heart attack."

"Might've been able to give you fair warning, if your phone hadn't been switched off," Judy replied, unable to keep the edge of exasperation from her words. 

She ducked under the roller door, joining V inside. It was almost as hot in as it was out, and stuffier by far. At least the sun wasn't messing with her editing optics now, so carefully calibrated for the darkness of her den or home office. She could do without the growing headache from all that bonus contrast. 

Blinking to adjust her vision, Judy tilted her head, casting a curious glance around the place. A sink, a workbench and a large, corner desk. An ageing, portable aircon unit rattled away at the rear of the garage, its exterior stained with rust-streaks and scrawled graffiti tags. A landfill salvage job if she'd ever seen one. Despite its best efforts, Judy already felt a bead of sweat roll down the length of her spine. 

Not for the first time that day, she sincerely regretted her choice in black overalls and boots. 

V herself had abandoned her usual armoured leathers and steel-toed boots, dressed more simply in a dark tank, a fraying red plaid shirt and dark jeans. Her leather gloves were streaked with grease and oil, but as Judy glanced at V's bare forearms, she spotted smudges of it trailing up skin, too.

V—who was staring into space. 

"V?" Judy ventured, frowning. "You all good in there?"

V blinked. She shook her head once, as if only just coming back to herself. 

"Sorry. Just wanted some time away from gigs, you know? Phone kept ringing off the goddamn hook and I just—" V broke off, and Judy watched her rise to her feet with a low groan. "—needed a bit of quiet. Turned the damn thing off."

There was an unmistakably weary strain to V's words, and Judy studied her. Really _looked._ V was tired, a dogged exhaustion to her movements as she moved. A heaviness to her step that had nothing to do with whatever new cyberware she was using. A tension in her shoulders as she crossed to the roller door, pulling it shut to give the ancient aircon unit a chance to actually work. 

Judy couldn't help the rising worry in her chest, but V rarely gave her a straight answer when she brought up the Relic. Instead, she asked, "You sure you're up for company? If you need a bit of quiet, I get it."

"Positive. Wanted to see you." For all her weariness, V's smile was quick and certain. "Glad you made it. Was actually getting pretty sick of my own thoughts."

The idea that V had wanted to see Judy was a buzz, a feeling she wished she could capture and keep for a rainy day. Unable to fight her own smile, she stepped closer. Her fingers found V's collar, curling in fabric soft from a hundred washes. She tugged V down for a kiss, soft and slow and lingering, her breath catching in her throat when V returned it. 

Still blew her mind that V had wanted her as badly as she'd wanted V. Still—

Judy froze, struck with a sudden, cold realisation as V hooked her wrists around the small of Judy's back. V's gloved hands were covered in grey auto grease.

"V— _careful_ with those gloves—" she started, trying to step away to safety, but V's reinforced frame was impossibly strong. 

"But you wear black anyway," V murmured against her ear. With unerring precision, her gloves found the _single_ patch of skin Judy's overalls left bare. Judy's breath hissed out between her teeth in distaste as V's gloves grazed her skin, a trailing touch that was both deliberate and wicked. 

Annoyed, Judy seized V by the wrist, holding it at bay. "Fuck you, V."

V grinned, and she pressed a rebellious kiss to Judy's temple. "That a threat or a promise?"

Despite her irritation, Judy quite liked the teasing lilt to V's words, the dangerous edge to her smile. Judy tilted her head back, chancing a look up and down V, letting her gaze linger. If they weren't in some blazing hot garage in one of Heywood's worst neighbourhoods, she might have decided to do something about the coiling heat in her gut. 

Judy had a better idea to make V behave herself, however. She lifted the bag of refreshments she'd so carefully transported through peak-hour Night City traffic. 

"I _was_ about to share one of these _ice cold_ drinks, but..." Judy shrugged a careless shoulder, her tone cool as winter steel. "Then you went and burned your bridges. Such a shame." 

"Ah." V's self-satisfied smirk evaporated, her gaze drawn to drinks with the desperate intensity of a badlands wanderer offered water and shade. 

Judy couldn't stay mad—not with V. She relented with a sigh. 

"It's too damn hot in here, and I'm not gonna watch you faint." Judy waved her hand toward a spot against the wall that looked slightly cleaner than the rest. "Sit your ass down."

"Alright, alright." V raised her hands in defeat. Her optics glowed blue for a moment, and the radio playing those ancient Samurai tunes fell quiet. "I know when I've been ruthlessly outplayed." 

V followed the direction of Judy's wave, sinking down against the garage's graffiti-streaked wall with a deep groan. Ancient motivational posters were still tacked onto the wall above her—they had to have been there so long the paper had practically bonded with the painted brickwork behind them. 

Judy watched V attempt to push her sweat-dampened hair out of her eyes with the back of her gloved hand, the action leaving an artless streak of motor oil behind on her skin. Giving it up for a lost cause, V peeled her gloves off, flexing out her cybernetics as she worked her fingers. At some point since the last Judy had seen her, V had swapped them out, updated. Her fingers were lined with dark, impact-absorbant silicone, and armoured plates and chains had been set into her knuckles. 

That—that would be quite the grip V had now. Judy's rational thought screeched to a halt as she considered it, and for an impossibly long moment, she forgot how to breathe. 

At Judy's hesitation, V glanced up. Her eyes were questioning, and she patted the concrete floor at her side.

Internally snarling at herself to get her shit together, Judy joined V on the garage floor, passing V a can of NiCola slippery with condensation. V cracked the can and downed the majority of its contents in a few greedy gulps. Given how hot the garage was—even with the aircon going—Judy couldn't blame her. 

Judy cradled her own drink between her hands, enjoying the cold sting of the metal against her skin and content to study V out of the corner of her eye. Sweat gleamed on V's skin, caused a few stray hairs to stick to the side of her neck. It collected at V's temples, in the divots of the cybernetics beneath her eyes. 

But V seemed... off. The buzz from Judy's arrival had faded, and her expression had grown melancholy. Tired. Judy remembered what V had said—about being sick of her own thoughts. It was certainly a sentiment Judy could relate to. Chewing on her lower lip, Judy cast an eye around the garage, searching for a distraction. 

The garage was small and dark. The concrete floor was stained with old oils and engine fluid, and the big, corner desk toward the back was littered with stray papers and stacks of magazines. Judy sighed, softly. She shouldn't have been surprised V would have some sort of secret garage over in Heywood. 

There had to be a story behind it. With V, there usually was. 

"What is this place?" she asked, looking back to V. 

V hesitated. Judy tried not to read too much into it, but V had always guarded herself so carefully. Deflected all but the most superficial interest in her personal life. Judy supposed that it was the price of being a damn good merc in Night City, where friends and enemies were just as likely to fuck you, but—

She wished, selfishly perhaps, that things could be different. 

"Didn't mean to pry," Judy said, looking away and taking a sip from her drink. Anything to disguise the sudden ache in her throat. "Should forget I asked."

"No, it's—chill." V's words were hesitant, uncertain, and so unlike herself that Judy looked back to her. She watched V shift, watched her toy with the metal rim of her can. "This place just puts me in a weird mood, I guess. It's—well, _was_ —Jackie's place. Jackie Welles. He was the one who—" V swallowed, cutting off. With a visible effort, she rallied. "He died during the Konpeki heist."

Judy remembered him, but only as a hulking man in blurred footage, a mugshot plastered all over the N54 news bulletins. She remembered that he was killed by Arasaka. For a good few weeks, Judy had believed V had shared his fate. 

That had been before V had seemingly defied death and the Arasaka hitsquads, and barged her way back into Lizzie's—back into Judy's life. Unlike V, however, Jackie Welles had stayed dead. With a bitter twist, Judy realised that V had never brought him up. Not once, in all the horror story with Evelyn and the scavengers den that had followed, despite how fresh his loss had been. 

Perhaps V had understood that, at the time, Judy hadn't had the capacity to feel sorry for a pair of mercs. That she'd been too caught up with Ev and the trainwreck the heist had made of her own life. That she'd been too consumed with anger and grief. Now, knowing V and how much she'd come to mean to Judy—she felt nothing but guilt. 

"Jackie used to camp out here, the nights he wasn't with Misty," V finally said, in the silence Judy had been too uncertain to break. She flashed Judy a smile, but it was weak and faded too quickly. "Didn't even know about this place 'til his ofrenda, can you believe?"

Judy's heart clenched. She had more than enough experience with self-recrimination to know it when she saw it.

"Even best friends have their secrets," Judy remarked, unable to suppress her own sigh. Evelyn had certainly kept enough of them.

"Guess so." V took another swallow of her NiCola, her lips pressing in a thin, bitter line. "Tracked down the landlord a few weeks back, offered him an awesome deal to skip finding a new tenant. Just felt like it was right to keep the place. Guess I thought I could hold onto a little more of him."

"Did you?"

V shook her head, her eyes distant. "Nah. Now all his stuff's been packed away, it's really just a garage."

V seemed to want to change the subject, and Judy was not too proud to admit she felt the same. The finality of death was still so raw and recent for her. She didn't want to examine it too closely, to cut herself on the jagged edge of her own emotions. Not today. Not when she wanted to live in the moment with V, just for a while. 

So, Judy focused instead on the partially-dismantled elephant in the room. 

"So... what's the go with the bike?" Judy had seen V riding the beast around Night City before. She was admittedly a little curious what had possessed V to take it all apart now. 

V shrugged. "Wanted to make some modifications to it. Tune it up. This seemed like the best place to do it."

Yet again, Judy cast a doubtful eye over the shambles of parts and tools on the floor of the garage. Her grandfather would have had a stroke if Judy had dared make such a mess in his old workshop. 

"Don't take this the wrong way, but..." Judy chewed on her lower lip for a moment, shooting V a cautious, sidelong look. "You done this before?" 

"Not really," V admitted, and she wrinkled her nose as she looked back to the bike. "More used to hotwiring bikes and knocking out their security systems, then selling 'em on through Padre. Most Heywood kids are. Having one for myself is a whole other ballgame, and modding one..."

V trailed off, vague. 

"Right." Judy nodded, then waved her soda can toward the bike. "So why... all of this?"

"Got a few tips from an Aldecaldo choom—pulled up to a job with her and alerted every Raffen in the area with the rumble." V's smile returned, and there was a wry twist to her voice as she added, "I believe she's threatened to shove the whole fucking muffler up my ass if I don't 'fix my shit'."

"Not to be all protective of said ass, but I'd prefer she not try." Judy winked at V. "Gets messy."

V choked on the last of her drink, her cheeks flushed pink as she coughed. Judy couldn't stifle her own laugh, appreciative of V's softness. V—hardened, brilliant merc, and yet still so sweet and shy. The duality of V was endlessly fascinating. 

"Mind if I keep going?" V finally asked, when her wheezing fit had subsided. 

"Have at it." Judy hooked an arm around her knee, pulling it close to her chest. "Happy to just hang out."

V crushed her can in one hand, tossing it with casual ease into the wastebin by the shelves. Judy watched her climb to her feet, dust her dark jeans off, slip her gloves back on and move back to the bike. Judy sipped at her drink, content to observe as V slotted the exhaust pipes back into place, as she tightened the bolts with a wrench. 

She watched the hint of the way the muscles of V's back moved beneath her shirt, the gleam of the overhead fluorescent light in her hair. Most keenly of all, however, she noted the movements of V's hands. V had a rudimentary knowledge of auto mechanics at best, that much was clear. She knew some things and not others—probably self-taught by necessity, than by any real curiosity in how things worked. 

Judy sometimes forgot that not everyone was raised by a tech-head grandfather with a predilection for tinkering. Hell, Judy didn't know a thing about V's family, other than her ties to Heywood and—weirdly enough—Sebastian Ibarra.

Another guarded secret? Judy wondered, swallowing the last of her NiCola and wiping the prickle of sweat away from her forehead. Perhaps, she realised with a sudden grimness, V had no family at all. 

As V finished up with the final bolt near the foot peg, she rose to her feet and stepped back. She paused for a long moment, stretching out her back with another of those low groans that snared delightfully in Judy's imagination. 

"Let's see if this worked."

Judy suppressed a small, fond smile. "You don't sound hopeful." 

"Probably 'cause I'm _not_ ," V replied, testy. 

_Good instinct,_ Judy wanted to say, but she held her tongue as she rose to crack the roller door open again. V wouldn't learn a damn thing if Judy jumped in—not to mention she'd need to contend with V's mile-wide stubborn streak. 

After all, V wouldn't ask for help even if she was drowning. Judy knew _that_ from terrifying, first-hand experience. 

V hit the ignition, and Judy cocked her head. She listened closely as the engine kicked over, before starting in earnest with a growl. That bone-deep rumble was muted, sure, but it had been traded in for a bonus rattle that didn't bode well. V knelt as she checked the exhaust pipes again, her scowl deepening as she killed the engine. 

She tossed the wrench back on the ground with a clang. 

"Fuck. Still got exhaust leakage." V stripped off one of her gloves, pinching the bridge of her nose with a grimace. She exhaled sharply. "Panam said it would be easy. 'Easy' my ass. Been tryin' to fix this shit all afternoon, and I'm pretty sure I've just made it worse."

"Gonna give her a call?" Judy asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow. 

Sure, V could call Panam, that devastatingly attractive Aldecaldo choom of V's. But what exactly was _Judy_? Chopped scopdog? It wasn't like V hadn't seen her tinker with robotics. Or jury-rig multiple security bypasses at Clouds. Or homebrew a combat program to fit seamlessly in a doll behavioural chip. Judy had even repaired and refurbished a whole goddamn firetruck as a bored teenager, though Judy was pretty sure V didn't know about that particular adventure that had ended in juvie—

Sometimes, Judy felt just a _little_ under-appreciated.

" _Call_ her? Pretty sure Panam'd laugh in my face about being a delicate city kid again, so fuck no." V's expression was sour as she fished the wrench back off the tarp. "Whatever, I'll figure it out. Just—lemme think."

The idea of _anyone_ calling V a 'delicate city kid' made Judy want to burst out laughing. However, her amusement began to fade as the silence stretched onwards. V made no moves, simply glaring daggers into the hapless muffler, clenching and unclenching the wrench in restless frustration. 

Minutes passed. V was struggling. 

Judy couldn't take it any longer. 

"Sealant might help your problem," she said, her tone carefully neutral. At V's narrow look, she offered a shrug. "Thread lock down near the manifolds might also help with that weird vibration I hear going on. Join looks iffy at best and could be trouble. Some of the bolts might also be cracked, which would mean replacements. But—try the thread lock first."

V's brow creased. "...I think I saw some of that over on the shelf. Lemme go grab that." 

With V off searching the shelves, Judy seized her chance to take a closer look at the bike, climbing to her feet and closing the distance. An Arch cruiser. The elaborate paint job was custom, shimmering red and gold in a style that certainly didn't seem to be V's. It was clear, though, that someone had put a lot of love into the design. 

Given the location of the bike and the garage it was housed in, Judy could take a guess at who might have done so. But—why V was taking the thing apart _now _remained a mystery.__

__Judy leaned further forward, shifting to get a better look. The engine was probably worth a remap if quietness was the problem—_ _

__"You can quit pretending you know shit-all about mechanics, Jude," V interrupted, her tone heavy with abject long-suffering._ _

__"That obvious, huh?" Judy looked over her shoulder with a wince, trying to determine if V was upset by the omission. "Thought I hid it better."_ _

__"Mmhm. Real subtle." V rolled her eyes, tossing Judy the bottle of sealant with a lazy, underarm throw. She held onto the bottle of thread lock. "Problem is, you get this twitch in your eyebrow. Only happens when people aren't doing things the Judy Alvarez way."_ _

__Judy was—actually somewhat flattered V had noticed that, if a little chagrined._ _

__"I'm not specifically familiar with bikes," Judy conceded, setting the sealant down by the bike and stepping away. "But I've put my van back together more times than I can count. My grandad was a tech-head. Owned an auto shop. Wanted me to follow in the family business, but... I had a different calling."_ _

__"Could have mentioned all that before letting me make an ass of myself, Judy," V replied, sighing and crossing her arms against her chest._ _

__"V, if you were determined to make an ass of yourself, there is not a force in this city that could stop you." Judy laughed, trying to take the sting from her teasing words. "You are _breathtakingly_ stubborn when you wanna be." _ _

__V scoffed. "Pot, kettle, black."_ _

__"No idea what you're implying." Judy reached out, grabbing V's ungloved hand with her own. She smiled, pausing to admire the warmth kindle in V's eyes when it was begrudgingly returned. "Figured you'd remember eventually."_ _

__"With enough damn hints, I guess I did," V grumbled, but there was only a hint of sourness to it now. She looked toward the bike, deflating a little. "Wanted to make a few more changes, but considering how the muffler's gone..."_ _

__"Nobody starts out a pro." Judy chewed on her lower lip in thought, trying to put it in a perspective V would accept. "Did you break that Quadra's security first go, or did you fudge it the first dozen times and trip the alarm?"_ _

__V considered it for a moment, before she grinned. "Do I get to impress you if I lie and say, 'first go'? I'm a professional."_ _

__Judy swatted V on the shoulder._ _

__"A professional bullshitter, maybe. Jokes aside, you're a fast learner, V." Judy released V's hand, moving to perch on the edge of a tarp-draped bench against the wall. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "So, what kind of changes were you thinkin'?"_ _

__"It's..." V's smirk faded. She shook her head, suddenly uncertain. "Y'know what? It's stupid."_ _

__V rarely ever talked of herself—where she'd been in life, what she wanted, be it in the present or in the future. Hell, V rarely ever talked about the Relic, for all that Judy knew it was a constant source of pain for her. For all that Judy worried, too._ _

__Judy wanted, so badly, for V to open up to her._ _

__"Whatever it is, I can guarantee you. It's not stupid," Judy said, trying to keep her tone gentle but firm. "Talk to me. What's the grand plan, here?"_ _

__"I know this thing's a city cruiser, but..." V's exhale was soft and reluctant, and she trailed off into quietness. At Judy's look, V finally nodded. "I'd like to take it off-road sometimes, and not end up spinning my wheels in the dirt. Badlands, Santo Domingo or all the way out to North Oakes."_ _

__"So, long distance travel, city—but off-road, too." Judy nodded, thoughtful. "You'll need some good shocks and springs. Could see if some of my chooms at my local chopshop have anything promising. What else?"_ _

__"Update the suspension. It's spec'd for Jackie's weight, and he was a _big_ guy." V cracked a crooked, rueful smile. "Plus, wouldn't mind my ass hurting less when I take it to the badlands." _ _

__"Again with the badlands. You planning to run away with the nomads on me?" Judy teased, returning V's smile with one of her own. "If you insist on riding this thing out there, changing out those tires wouldn't hurt."_ _

__V was quiet for a long moment, digesting the information, thinking things over in inscrutable silence. Judy waited, only able to guess at what might be going through V's mind._ _

__"Storage." V's voice was soft when she finally spoke, her expression distant. "For clothes. Gear. Someday, when this shitshow is done, I want to ride this bike out of Night City and away. For good."_ _

__It was an amazing image—V finally leaving this goddamn hellhole of a city and not looking back, hitting the NUSA roads to live some dreams. Despite the warm glow it gave her, Judy's throat constricted, suddenly and selfishly. She hoped that she'd get to be part of it, part of V's story beyond Night City and the Relic. Too early to make those sort of promises, though. Too early to get her heart broken._ _

__Judy looked back to V, pushing aside the terrible swell of unruly emotion in her chest, determined to focus on the now._ _

__All in all, Judy had to admit that V's plans would be a lot of work for a raw beginner—and a lot of eddies. Eddies that could instead be spent on purchasing something more ready for the road._ _

__"Why this bike, V?" Judy asked, her voice soft._ _

__V looked away, but not before Judy caught the prickle of defensiveness in her eyes, in the set of her jaw. But slowly, V's expression softened as she reached out, her finger tracing the red leather padding of the seat. She withdrew her hand with a quiet sigh, before moving to sit next to Judy. The bench creaked beneath her extra weight, and Judy waited._ _

__"The bike..." V wrapped her arm around Judy's shoulders. Despite the garage's muggy heat, Judy leaned into her solid warmth. "It was Jackie's."_ _

__Judy's guess had been right, then. She slipped her hand into V's, lacing their fingers together. She could feel the delicate shift and whir of the new cybernetics beneath V's skin, real and grounding. She traced the armoured plates on the back of V's hand with an idle thumb._ _

__Jackie Welles was a piece to the puzzle of V that seemed so— _hidden_ , guarded away and protected from the world. Just like most of what had really happened during that shitstorm of a heist. Perhaps now, in Jackie's old garage, Judy might finally be able to learn more about him. _ _

__And one piece at a time, she'd learn more about V._ _

__"Tell me about it. About him. Jackie."_ _

__"About getting the bike?" V asked, apparently determined to be obtuse to the bitter end. "Not much to really say."_ _

__At Judy's nudge, V sighed._ _

__"Jackie splashed out big after one of our better paydays, though he had to take a loan, too. Even gave it a custom paint job. Fuckin' Valentinos themed, 'course. There's a saying around here—you can take the boy outta the gang, but you can't take the gang outta the boy. Not in Heywood."_ _

__V smiled, her expression bittersweet. Judy held her silence, listening to the pitch and timbre of V's voice, the distance in her eyes. The odd pull at the corner of her mouth when she tried not to be emotional, the crease in her brow._ _

__If V was nailing Judy's tells, then V's tells were slowly becoming clearer for Judy._ _

__It was an odd feeling—to know, and to be known. Judy didn't expect to like it as much as she did. She'd always fallen hard for the wrong people at the wrong time, and perhaps that was true once again. But somehow this thing with V felt... real. It felt reciprocated, for the first time in Judy's life._ _

__"He picked it up just before we met up with Dexter DeShawn. He was so psyched for this gaudy hunk of metal. Remember like it was yesterday, how he chewed my ear off on the holo about it." V's laugh was forced and hollow, fading quickly into something far closer to regret. "Jackie... he had so many plans. Dreams. Make it big in Night City, then start a family. And if anyone could have had it all—be the legend that _lived_ —I would have put my money on Jack, you know?_ _

__"He died that night, though. In the car." V's words grew brittle and tight, and Judy watched her jaw clench. "It was so fast—didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. All those dreams, gone. And I know it's useless, but I can't help but go over _everything_ that went wrong that night. Wonder if only I'd been a little better, faster, smarter—he'd still be here." _ _

__Judy's heart sank. Too many times to count, she'd wondered just the same for Evelyn. Nothing good came of such toxic thoughts, but she knew V understood that. After all, it had been V herself who'd tried her damnedest to beat the notion into Judy's own stubborn head._ _

__"Shit." V looked away, clearing her throat. "Sorry. Haven't talked to anyone about—all of this. Not exactly gonna offload on Misty, or Mama Welles. Vik, he's not good with feelings. And Johnny, well..."_ _

__V's eyes unfocused in the direction of the roller door. Judy wondered if the construct was physically there for V, as she'd so vaguely suggested at Laguna Bend._ _

__"Yeah. Fuck you too, Johnny," V said after a moment, but there was no heat to it—just weariness. "Asshole."_ _

__"Sounds like Jackie was a hell of a guy," Judy ventured, studying V's expression. He had to have been, to have held such a special place in V's life._ _

__"He was the best friend I could have ever asked for. Wish you'd gotten to meet him." V finally looked to Judy then, and her smile was soft. "Would have liked you, y'know. 'Keep V's head on right, _chica_. She's a stubborn ass, yeah, but I'm in your corner'."_ _

__V laughed, and while it was brief, it was genuine. Judy felt herself smile. Whoever Jackie had been for V, he was damn right. V was as stubborn as anyone got, but that was why she needed someone watching her back, looking out for her. Silently, Judy promised whatever ghost of Jackie Welles that remained—be it in his old garage or with his old bike—that she'd try to honour what he'd have wanted._ _

__"Guess I wanna take his bike with me everywhere—even when it's not practical, 'cause there's a bit of him in it. Something he loved." V swallowed, and in the quiet, the sound of it was unsteady. "Figure, it's my way of sharing my life with him. Even though he's gone."_ _

__Judy's heart hurt for V. Wordless, she pulled V closer just to feel her. She rested her cheek on V's shoulder, the fabric soft against her cheek._ _

__"That's... kind of nova, V."_ _

__V didn't reply, and Judy was content to let the silence hold, listening to the rattle of the old aircon unit, the sounds of the world outside muted to nothing. Through V's shoulder, she could feel the steady rise and fall of V's breath, the warmth of her body._ _

__"Guess it's not so stupid, if you aren't calling me a gonk for it," V said finally, and Judy was relieved to hear some of that playful lilt had returned._ _

__"Still a gonk, but not for this." Judy shifted, pressing a gentle kiss to V's sweat-damp cheek, before rising to her feet. The mood could stand to be lighter, though, and she offered V a wink. "Can think of plenty of other reasons, however."_ _

__V leaned back, lifting an eyebrow. "Such as...?"_ _

__"Not asking your tech-head output for help, when you're struggling to modify a bike," Judy replied with a smirk and a shrug, before stooping to examine the internals of the bike with a critical eye._ _

__V groaned, and Judy heard the unmistakable sound of V thumping her head against the brickwork. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"_ _

__"Sometimes it's nice to see the whole 'miracle merc' thing of yours has its limits." Judy turned, casting an appreciative eye up and down V, lightning quick. "Not that I don't enjoy it."_ _

__V watched her continue to examine the bike, and Judy felt her gaze—practically a physical sensation between her shoulders and down her back, the weight of it lingering._ _

__"Fine. Point taken." V pushed herself to her feet, kneeling beside Judy in a rush of warm air that smelled so distinctly of her. "Help me unbolt this damn muffler, then we'll... talk about the rest."_ _

__"Got yourself a deal." Judy brushed her hair out of her eyes with the back of her hand, her smirk returning as she looked up at V._ _

__Judy gracefully accepted the wrench V grudgingly passed her, craning to the side to get at the first of the bolts at the foot peg. She had to reach for the next—set at a weird angle, and with that fancy custom paint job, she didn't want to scratch anything up trying._ _

__She rocked back on her heels, glancing to V through the stubborn, colourful veil of her hair. "Think you could use those fancy new cybernetics of yours? Tilt it toward the bench?"_ _

__"Yeah, think I can swing that." V moved to the opposite side of the bike, rolling her shoulders to limber them up._ _

__Judy couldn't help but watch as V took the weight of the bike, the modified knuckles in her hands ratcheting to adjust. V's frame set, her jaw tightening, and Judy definitely didn't mind the impressive flex in V's biceps and forearms. The sight of it give rise to a sharp, persistent heat in Judy's stomach she wasn't likely to be rid of soon._ _

__Perhaps, next time Judy wanted to mess around with heavy robotics down at the chopshop, she could convince V to lend her a hand._ _

__V cleared her throat. Cheeks colouring, Judy looked up at V—and swallowed. V was watching her, waiting, an odd look in her eyes Judy couldn't quite place. Shaking her head and reminding herself to focus, Judy took care of the last of the bolts, her hands moving with quick, practiced purpose. She waved a hand to V when she was done, and the bike was carefully settled back on its stand._ _

__Finally ready, Judy pulled the exhaust pipes free of the manifolds, examining the join with a critical eye. There didn't seem to be any damage or cracks, so perhaps the rattle really was just down to a loose connection. She reached for the bottle of thread lock, feeling around beside her without looking and coming up empty-handed._ _

__She looked up, frowning. Where—? V nudged her shoulder, offering the bottle without a word. Hiding her smile behind her hair, Judy accepted it. Applying a small coating of the liquid, she reattached the pipes with a careful push._ _

__Several finicky bolts later, everything was fastened back in place._ _

__Judy made a careful application of sealant at what looked like the worst culprits for leakage, before finally rocking back on her heels. It was only then, with nothing left to serve as a convenient distraction, that she chanced another look up at V. V was— _still_ watching Judy, her gaze intense and razor-sharp with focus, as if nothing else mattered in all the world. _ _

__Being the sole subject of V's undivided attention was always an experience. Judy felt just a little breathless, almost shy. V was far, far from Judy's first relationship, but—there were certainly times she made Judy _feel_ like a giddy teenager all over again. _ _

__"You seem to really know what you're doing," V said. There was a low note to her words that sent a shiver down Judy's spine, summer hell-heat be damned._ _

__"Like I said. Not as good with bikes, but there are some basic similarities," Judy said evenly, trying to keep her tone from betraying the fluttering warmth beneath her sternum. "Just gotta know what."_ _

__Judy looked back to the bike then, her lips thinning. After that speech, she just hoped she hadn't fucked the whole thing up._ _

__"Alright, guess I'm as done as I'm gonna be. Let's give her a try."_ _

__V nodded, and Judy stepped back to give her space, worrying at her lower lip. She watched V lean over to start up the bike, and couldn't deny her relief when it started— _minus_ all those troubling rattles. V's grin was instant, wide and brilliant. Infectious, too, and Judy couldn't help but return it with one of her own. _ _

__Settling back on the workbench, she was content to watch V kill the engine once again, an unmistakable, addictive buzz rising in her veins as V joined her. The acrid tang of exhaust in the air was quickly fading, leaving only the smell of grease and metal that reminded her so keenly of her childhood—and the warm scent of V, that reminded her of what she had, here and now._ _

__She leaned into V, relaxing and breathing deep._ _

__"I'm... really glad you came," V said. Her gaze was tender when Judy looked up, her expression gentle. "Before you got here, I was feeling pretty shit, honestly. Felt... stuck."_ _

__Judy knew V wasn't talking about the bike, not anymore. It was likely to be as much of an admission of emotional turmoil as V would give her yet, and part of Judy knew it. But—it was an admission all the same. A small step forward._ _

__"Any time, V," Judy replied, and she swallowed. She couldn't quite deal with the mess of emotions suddenly welling up inside her. Couldn't express just how much she loved being there with V, in these quiet moments—when nobody was bleeding. When there was nothing to fear._ _

__"Don't mind helping," she added. "Not if it's you."_ _

__V studied her, openly searching. As if she was trying to understand everything there could ever be to Judy—all the grief and the pain, the instability and upheaval, and the rare snatches of dizzying happiness. Like she read it all in Judy's eyes, and loved her for it anyway._ _

__V's eyes widened a fraction as Judy reached for her, smoothing her thumb over the curve of V's lip. V's skin was still damp with sweat, but Judy didn't mind, trailing the back of her knuckle across the cut of cybernetics beneath V's eye, across her cheekbone._ _

__Judy's mouth felt dry. She couldn't seem to catch her breath._ _

__Messy, genuine emotions, Judy wasn't so great with, and the fierceness of her growing feelings for V were terrifying at times. But lust—she was far more acquainted with lust, comforting in its familiarity. Judy exhaled as V's fingers curled about her wrist, her eyelids fluttering closed as V's mouth found the back of her hand._ _

__"But you should know. Watching these hands work—" V murmured, kissing each knuckle on the back of Judy's hand, soft and clinging, "—is driving me _insane_."_ _

__Static fizzed down the length of Judy's spine, prickled in the nape of her neck and the pit of her stomach. She slid forward off the bench, settling her hips between V's knees and resting a palm against V's chest. That crackle of lightning in her veins grew sharper, sweeter, as V allowed Judy to press her back flush against the brickwork. Judy looked down, skimming the palm of her free hand down the bared length of V's forearm, fingertips tracing cybernetic channels in synthetic skin._ _

__"And showin' off with all that new cyberware is meant to make me feel... what?"_ _

__"So you did like me lifting the bike." V's smile was self-satisfied, and she tugged Judy even closer by the strap of her overalls. Her touch was like fire on Judy's bare skin. "Thought you stared a bit too long."_ _

__"Oh, I was just thinkin' how I might test out that new chrome grip of yours." Judy smoothed her finger across V's collarbone through her soft, dark tank top, eliciting a shiver. She bit her lower lip, smiling as the gleam in V's eyes turned dangerous. "Got some preem ideas already."_ _

__Judy met V's kiss in a rush, the steadily simmering heat in her gut igniting like a backdraft sweeping through a burning building. Abandoning her need for air, Judy claimed V's mouth in possessive fervour, knotting her fingers in V's sweat-dampened hair. She all but dragged the low, delicious groan from V's throat as she grazed her teeth against V's lower lip—hard enough to sting, but not enough to draw blood, smoothing the pain away with the insistent press of her tongue._ _

__V was pulling her in, hitching her close, and the feeling of V's incredible strength coiling beneath her had Judy's thoughts abandoning her. In her lust-drunk haze, Judy realised she'd somehow already been pulled into V's lap, vaguely aware that V was fumbling at the clasp of her overalls. With feverish hands, she pushed V's shirt from her shoulders to expose bare skin to touch before claiming her mouth again._ _

__"Wanna—wanna try some of those things out?" V rasped, breaking away from Judy's kiss with a sudden gasp. Her hold was like iron on Judy's hips, just shy of bruising. Judy could still feel the tremble in her hands, the taut need in her grasp. "Like. Right now?"_ _

__Judy smiled, bracing herself against the brickwork by V's ear with a forearm. She dipped to press her lips in a hungry, open-mouthed kiss to V's throat, tongue lingering against the fluttering pulse, tasting salt and sweat. "Don't wanna relocate?"_ _

__"No—" V choked as Judy tracked kisses down her neck, her fingers splaying against Judy's skin to pull her closer. " _Nah._ There is no fucking way I'm waitin' that long. Besides—a few good memories of my own would do this place a—a _world_ of good, y'know?"_ _

__Judy hummed beneath her breath, pleased. "Kinda hoped you'd say that."_ _


End file.
